1. The Technical Field
The present invention relates in general to containers fabricated from cardboard, paperboard and corrugated paperboard and the like, and, more particularly, to self-erecting containers for containment and dispensing of fluid articles from bags contained therein.
2. The Prior Art
Containers fabricated from cardboard, paperboard, corrugated paperboard and the like have been used in combination with liquid holding bags for several years. In particular, these bag-in-box containers have proved to be durable, convenient, and cost-effective for use in storing, transporting, and dispensing various liquids and beverages, such as wine, soft drinks, and coffee. Many of these containers have a concealed inner region for housing a liquid holding bag, a pouring spout, and a handle for carrying.
For example, Andrews, Sr. et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,715,992, discloses a paperboard beverage container particularly suited for carrying and dispensing multiple cups of coffee. In particular, the '992 beverage container consists of an outer shell with two pairs of opposing sidewalls, an opening in one of the sidewalls, a bag within the outer shell, and a mouth attached to the bag. The mouth is positioned in the opening to allow fluid to be transferred from the bag to a receptacle, such as a cup or mug. The beverage container further consists of a series of upper end flaps forming a top and a handle, and a series of lower end flaps forming a bottom. The bottom is preferably recessed to avoid contact of hot coffee contained in the bag with a supporting surface, such as furniture.
However, in certain industries and businesses which employ containers fabricated from cardboard, paperboard, corrugated paperboard and the like, such as the fast food industry, the catering industry, the retail coffee industry, etc., it is often important that the containers be configured for articulation into their "use" configurations in an efficient, reliable and rapid manner.
Certain rapid deployment containers are also known in the art. For example, Westerman, U.S. Pat. No. 5,062,527, discloses a "slotless" container which is lidless, and is formed from a single blank having no perforations, holes, apertures or cuts of any kind. The blank is divided by fold lines into a rectangular bottom panel, and rectangular side and end panels which contiguously emanate from the edges of the rectangular bottom panel. Square corner panels are positioned between and emanate from the edges of adjacent side and end panels. A central fold line bisects the blank from one end panel edge to the opposite end panel edge, and diagonal fold lines diagonally bisect the corner panels and extend into the bottom panel.
By bending the corner panels about the diagonal fold lines, so that the edges formed by the diagonal fold lines project toward the interior of the container, while simultaneously folding the side and end panels upward to positions perpendicular to the bottom panel, an open-topped rectangular parallelepiped container is formed. The panels in the apparatus of the Westerman '527 patent are sized so that the diagonal fold lines of the corner panels, upon completed articulation of the blank, extend all the way up to the "top" edges of the side and end panels. Thus, no paths for leakage of liquids is provided in the completely articulated container. However, as can be seen from the illustrations of the Westerman '527 patent, the folded corner panels overlap one another when the container is in its fully erected configuration.
The Westerman '527 patent also discloses lining or coating the interior of the container with a liquid-proof material, in order to permit the erected container to be used to contain materials such as medical waste, without danger of leakage. A simple flat lid, fabricated from a separate structure or blank, is used to cover the container.
Another class of containers which address the foregoing issues is known generally as the class of "self-erecting" containers. An example of a self-erecting container is The Ice Cube.TM. corrugated ice chest/cooler container manufactured by Wesland Container of Little Rock, Ark. The configuration of the blank for the Wesland Container article is similar to that of the Westerman '527 apparatus, except that lid panels emanate from the upper edges of the side panels, and locking panels emanate from the upper edges of the end panels. Handle panels emanate from the upper, inner edges of the lid panels. In addition, the corner panels are not rectangular, but instead are formed from two trapezoidal members (left by removing squares), bisected by the diagonal fold lines, from the free corners of each of the corner panels.
By making the corner panels in the foregoing manner, and by appropriate proportioning of the dimensions of the various panels permits the folded corner panels to be folded against the inner surface of the side panels, and glued thereto, without the folded corner panels overlapping one another. An additional effect of the formation of the corner panels is that the diagonal fold lines do not reach to the top edges of the container, thus creating potential leakage flow paths.
By gluing one of each of the pairs of folded juxtaposed corner panels to the opposed inside surfaces of the side panels, upon folding the end panels and corner panels over the bottom and side panels, a self-erecting feature is created. After the glue has set, upon pulling up of the flattened end panels, the corner panels cause the side panels to be moved in concert with the end panels, to form the container enclosure.
The Wesland Container apparatus is also provided with the knock-down feature of the long fold line bisecting the entire blank, and the diagonal folds in the bottom panel, which permit the side panels to be pressed against one another, while the end panels are folded inwardly upon themselves to create a flattened, collapsed container.
The Wesland Container apparatus is likewise provided with a slotless, imperforate blank, and a liquid-proof coating on the inside surface of the blank, so that ice, etc., may be safely carried in the container, without leakage.
Closure of the Wesland Container is provided by folding the top panels over the container space. The handle panels are then folded upward to be perpendicular to the bottom of the container. The handle panels are also provided with hooks, which are engaged by slots on the lock panels.
Although these and other slotless and self-erecting containers have improved the efficiency and reliability of rapid deployment containers, it would be desirable to provide an improved self-erecting container apparatus which is adapted for use in bag-in-a-box applications. Moreover, it would also be desirable to provide an improved self-erecting container which is structured for fast, rapid, and reliable deployment from an easily shippable configuration to an articulated "use" configuration.
These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent, in light of the present description, claims and drawings.